GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. –
Attorney Barbara A. Ruga will present “Critical Points in Bargaining” at the 2013 Michigan Negotiators Association (MNA) Academy on Thursday, May 9. She will discuss the project timeline and strategic considerations in bargaining. The academy will be held from May 8 to May 10 at the Lexington Lansing hotel. For more information, please visit, http://www.michigannegotiators.com/.

Ruga has been presenting as a legal expert at MNA conferences for more than ten years and was the recipient of the Harlow Claggett award for her leadership in the school labor negotiations field and contributions to public school labor negotiations. She is a member in Clark Hill’s Education Law, Municipal Law, and Labor & Employment Law Practice Groups, and has been advising and counseling public school districts and businesses on labor law and employment issues for more than 30 years. In addition to her extensive experience negotiating teacher contracts in a context of scarce resources, Ruga handles numerous arbitrations, unfair labor practice charges, fact-findings and related employment litigation.

MNA is a non-profit association for professional negotiators and contract administrators. It gives school boards and administrators the opportunity to network with other negotiators throughout the state, up-to-date information, training in the negotiations process, and